Fire Emblem: Houses United
by TMard
Summary: I didn't like the ending between my character and Claude's S support rank, so I wrote my own. Rated M to be safe and possibly for future chapters. Spoilers for the Golden Deer ending.
1. The Missing Time

[AN: I hated what seemed to be the unfinished story of Claude and my character (Cordelia-not from FE: Awakening), so I decided to write an ending to it. This is still in progress. Spoilers for the Golden Deer ending. All characters belong to their prospective companies. I did use some of Claude's S-rank support conversation verbatim-any parts I used from there do not belong to me. I am currently working on Ch. 7, and I apologize that Ch. 6 is so incredibly short. Also, I want to give a huge shout-out to my best friend Katie for helping me edit the story, coming up with the chapter names, and writing some of the later paragraphs of the most recent chapters (and future chapters). I couldn't have done it without you!]

The Dark Sword of the Creator fell to the ground where it shattered upon impact. Nemesis fell to his knees then collapsed face-first onto the ground. He was finally defeated and it was time for a new era of peace to descend upon Fódlan. It had been a long, hard battle and without Rhea's help it would've been a defeat. We had to defeat not only Edelgard, a fellow student, but anyone who was a part of the Adrestrian Empire and who took part in her scheme to 'unite' Fódlan by force. Now that this war was over we could properly mourn the loss of the students as well as everyone else—including Rhea. She succumbed to her injuries just the previous night.

I've lost so many people and, now that Nemesis is gone, I will not lose anyone else I've loved to war again. I have been unable to properly grieve the losses I sustained as there is going to be a coronation ceremony in two days, I am to become the ruler of the United Nation of Fódlan. I never aspired to be a ruler, but it was a step I had to take now. I've spent the past week attempting to convince everyone that I wasn't meant to be a ruler, but their objections overrode my own.

"Just two days…." I mumbled to myself as I arrived at the top of the Goddess Tower. Claude asked me to meet him here, to talk, and I was pretty sure I had a good idea of what was coming. The bond between us was unmistakable, and though everyone refrained from commenting on it, even my students—well, former students, as it'd been five years since I was really their professor—knew that there was something between us. We'd been careful to keep any physical relations to a minimum and in private, although a brief kiss was all that we'd ever shared.

I turned the corner at the top of the staircase to find Claude looking out over the monastery grounds. The sun was just beginning to set. It was beautiful, but I knew that it wasn't why he asked me here, and the look on his face made me anxious. I thought I knew, but now I wasn't so sure. We had talked numerous times, particularly recently, about wanting to spend our lives together in this new world we created, but now I wonder if maybe I misunderstood.

"I'm glad you could make it," said Claude, a smile on his face. "I wanted to talk, just the two of us. We have some things to talk about." That anxious feeling crept into my stomach again, and I tried to keep my face expressionless.

"I know the coronation ceremony is in just two days, and I'm sorry that I won't be by your side at such an important event…but I know you'll do great," he said, and his expression showed that he was truly sorry, but now I felt more anxious than ever.

"You won't be there? But why? I need you," I said, the last three words barely more than a whisper. This would've been hard enough with him there, but now? How was I going to get through it? I didn't want to be a ruler.

"I'm sorry. I must return to my homeland. I have to change my homeland for the better…or nothing changes. I have to change things in Fódlan and beyond, or the world I've dreamt of creating will never be created. I've done what I can in Fódlan, and now I must do the same in my homeland."

I sighed. "I understand…but I can't be a ruler. It's so much pressure. Rhea appointed me her successor and all those of faith who looked up to her will look up to me, not to mention my defeat of Nemesis—which couldn't have been done without you, or the rest of the Golden Deer."

Claude nodded, a slight grin on his face, and took my hand. "I want a leader who can set new values for the people…ones that don't exclude anybody for being different. That's what you can do for Fódlan." He suddenly looked nervous. "I have something else to ask as well," he said, pulling a small item from his pocket. "I hope you'll accept this. I want to create this new world…with you by my side."

This is what I had thought our conversation would be, not him telling me that he was leaving tomorrow for his homeland and not being with me. I took the ring from him and placed it on my finger. Looking up at him, I smiled, though there were tears in my eyes. I didn't know how I was going to do this without him.

"Don't worry. Nothing will stop me from coming back. I'm not gonna let you go…you know that, right?" He waited until I had nodded, a few tears spilling from my eyes, before he continued. He pulled me into his arms, and I choked back a sob. "I'll be back before you know it. We'll only be apart for a short time. But it's necessary for us to create this new world." He paused, and though he would never admit it, I heard the tears he wouldn't shed catch in his throat, and he cleared it before continuing.

"I love you. With everything I am. And we'll see each other again soon." I don't know how long we stood there, holding each other, only that the sun had completely set before he released me. To my surprise both of us had tear tracks on our faces, and it was then I realized that he truly loved me. He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped both of our faces, his hand cupping my cheek. His thumb stroked my face softly and he gave me a sad smile. "We should sleep. There's much to be done tomorrow by both of us."

I couldn't speak. It just didn't seem fair. We finally were able to bring peace to Fódlan, and now that we could be together freely, he had to leave. Would I ever be able to have happiness that wasn't short-lived? My expression seemed to say everything I couldn't, and without a word Claude put his arm around my shoulders and walked me back to my quarters. His words were a pained whisper as he shut the door behind him, but I heard it as though he was standing next to me. "I love you."

Those words held an unspoken promise that he would return to me as soon as it was possible, and they tried to hide the hurt he was feeling. I had refused to break down in front of him, and now that he was gone, the tears came unrestrained. I couldn't control the sobbing, and I didn't want to. This was grief, loss, and longing all rolled into one. Grieving my father, Lady Rhea, and the students who'd lost their lives fighting in this war. Losing not only my best friend, but my future husband, to diplomatic matters that we couldn't control, and the longing that was sure to happen while he was away. He said it would be a short while, but we both knew it, realistically, would be longer than a couple of months.

I fell to my knees in my darkened room, not bothering to turn on the light or get comfortable in bed. The bed would only serve as a reminder of the loneliness. There was no point in restraining the cries; I've needed to do this since I'd lost my father but had never gotten the chance with the war ongoing. What I didn't know was that Claude hadn't yet walked away from my door as his own pain scratched at the surface.

He listened outside the door for a minute, agonizing over the fact that his leaving was the final straw for my breakdown, before opening it and coming to my side. I heard the door click shut about the time that he had crushed me to his chest, muffling the sobs. His attempts to console me were futile, although I did attempt to control the cries. I couldn't even stop long enough to speak to him. His handkerchief appeared out of nowhere, wiping tear after tear from my eyes and cheeks. Without a word, he got to his feet and lifted me with him, laying me down on the bed. There was a moment of hesitation, and then I felt him lay down beside me, enveloping me in his arms as I cried. He had taken the moment to remove his outer layers of clothing and boots, and he removed my cloak as I let out a sound of protest.

"That cloak is too heavy to sleep in," he whispered.

"That's not it…you shouldn't be here," I said hoarsely, my voice barely a whisper after all the crying. As much as I needed and craved his comforting touch, he shouldn't have been there.

"I don't care. I'm not your student anymore. I'm your fiancé, remember? And even if this isn't 'proper', I can't sleep soundly or leave tomorrow knowing I left you like this... that it was my fault. Okay, not all my fault," he said quickly as I opened my mouth to protest. "But I was the thing that caused the scale to tip, and even though I still have to leave, I want our last night together here at the monastery to be one of comfort and love," he said quietly, kissing the top of my head as he held me close to him.

He had a point. Technically, after they'd graduated—which was also the day I'd gone missing and 'slept' for five years—they weren't my students. I turned over so that I was facing him and buried my face in his chest. There were still a few tears falling, and I didn't want him to see them. He'd seen enough of my tears. He raised my chin up with his finger and placed a soft kiss on my lips. "Shh…I promise it'll be okay," he whispered. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I still didn't know what I was going to do without him.

Claude brushed my hair out of my face and wiped the last of my tears away with his thumb. I didn't want that night to end. I wrapped my arms around him, rested my head on his chest, and drifted off to sleep listening to his heartbeat. I slept terribly that night, but there was some comfort when I woke feeling his arms around me. The next morning dawned cloudy and rainy, which was perfect for how I was feeling. I didn't want to leave the bed. I noticed that Claude was still sleeping, so I didn't move. Instead opting to remain in his arms for as long as I could, indulging myself in his features.

When we finally did wake, we were later than anticipated. Seteth had been looking for me for around an hour, or so I was told. Hilda and Marianne had apparently gotten rather defensive when Seteth attempted to come find me in my quarters, and for that I was grateful—not only did I get some of the sleep I needed, but it kept anyone from finding Claude at the moment. I dressed quietly, switching out the previous day's outfit with a fresh one. Sleeping in my clothes wasn't a good idea, and I told myself I'd never do it again.

I washed my face and pulled my hair back into a braid for the day. By the time I had cleaned myself up, Claude had put his clothes back on and was standing at the door, peeking out. "No one's out there. We're clear to leave now," he said, holding the door open for me. I walked out without meeting his eyes. I don't think I could look at him, knowing he is leaving, and not start crying. He'd seen enough of my tears. Before I could make it past him, he reached out and took my hand.

I turned to look at him, and he kept walking, a grin on his face. "They're gonna find out soon enough, why not today? After all, we can't hide our engagement forever, and they're sure to notice when we eventually marry," he chuckled, and I was forced to hurry to catch up to him. I felt a blush spread across my face, but as usual, he had a point. We couldn't hide this relationship forever, and I know that some of our friends had noticed what was going on between us.

We arrived at the reception hall and my heart sank. Seeing Claude's stuff packed and ready for his trip made me feel even worse about the whole thing. There wasn't anything I could do about it, however, and we were both going to have to make the best of this. The best I could do would be to fill my time while he was gone by preparing for our wedding. It would be a simple affair, as neither of us wanted to draw a lot of attention but securing myself an appropriate dress would be a little difficult.

I had gotten lost in these thoughts when I realized that everyone else surrounded us. It was only when Seteth arrived, a somewhat angry look on his face, that I realized Claude and I were still holding hands. "Glad you could join us this morning, Cordelia. I've been needing to speak with you regarding the ceremony tomorrow. I realize things have been… difficult, but there are lots of things to finalize for tomorrow."

My face reddened, and I opened my mouth angrily to retort when Claude squeezed my hand slightly. Despite my anger, Seteth was right. "I apologize. I will join you in the audience chamber at midday. I have a couple of other things to attend to." Seteth gave me a curt nod and turned to leave. I brush my hair from my face and go pale as I realize they'd all seen my ring. All I could do was shrug and blush. I looked over at Claude, who was grinning from ear-to-ear, and we both nodded.

Most of the girls let out a squeal, and I held up my hand. "We'll talk later. I have meetings I need to attend today. Besides, it's time for breakfast, and then Claude will be heading out to his homeland. Let's get this day started, even if it's a bit late," I said with a chuckle. The rest of the students filed out to the dining hall, and Seteth followed, giving Claude and I an odd look. "He's not happy with us."

Claude shrugged. "It doesn't matter at this point, we're engaged. He'll have to deal with it. I just don't think he's happy with being left out of the loop." We walked into the dining hall hand-in-hand and enjoyed a light breakfast. Well, he enjoyed a hearty breakfast, given that he was traveling, but I ate very little. I was getting too anxious about him leaving. After breakfast, he spoke to each of his former classmates individually, as well as Seteth, before pulling me off to the side hallway.

He looked down at me, a finger stroking my cheek as he smiled sadly. "This isn't goodbye. It's... see you later. Nothing will keep me from you. I'll be back as soon as I possibly can." Claude pulled me into his arms, and I wrapped mine around him, willing myself not to cry. I felt him kiss the top of my head, and I heard his breath catch in his throat as he fought back tears. I pulled my face back and looked up at him, pressing my lips to his as I saw the tears welling up in his eyes, just like mine.

All too soon he pulled away, leaving both of us wanting more. I heard his sad sigh, and I looked up at him. "I love you. With all my heart," I said, and he smiled.

"As I love you. I really have to go now," said Claude, and I realized that they had already loaded up his stuff for the journey. "Remember last night, and remember that I love you," he said as he gave me one last hug and kiss on my forehead then walked out of the hall. His classmates shouted farewells, and he gave all of us one last wave—and winked at me—before he started his journey. I sighed. It would be at least a month before I saw him again, although it would likely be longer, despite how much we wanted to see each other. We both had obligations to fill.


	2. Preparations

I stood there, staring out of the entrance hall, until I realized someone had come to stand beside me. I looked over, and Marianne was standing there. "It'll be okay, Professor. We'll be here to help you," she said quietly, looking over at me with a smile. "I know you'll miss him, but you both have obligations that you have to fulfill before you can be together."

"I know. I hadn't really planned on mentioning anything, but nothing gets past Seteth. He noticed the ring, and even though there wasn't an actual announcement, I'm pretty sure most of you guys had noticed."

She giggled. "Seteth is pretty serious, but we knew way before that. The day that you disappeared…well, we were all upset. Most of us didn't see you fall, because we were trying to push back the Imperial army… which, of course, didn't work. We didn't know what had happened until Raphael saw Claude standing at the edge of the canyon. He was trying to find a way down before Raphael pulled him back. It was the first time any of us had seen him cry. And the last."

I hadn't realized that my students had been watching as I attempted to help Rhea fight back the army. I knew that we had all been pressed into defending the monastery, which failed. The last thing I remembered from that day was falling, and then I woke five years later. Even thinking about it now makes my head spin—what happened to me during those five years?

Marianne put her hand on my forearm. "We've known for years that you two loved each other. Those five years that you were gone… we didn't think you were dead, but Claude refused to even discuss it. Any time that someone brought it up or wondered where you were, he'd leave the room. Any mention of you was too painful. I know you'll be the same for a while, even if you do know where he's at. Just know he'll be back." I looked over at her with a smile, and she returned it with one of her own. "You might want to get some rest, since tomorrow's the big day!"

With that, Marianne walked away to rejoin the others—they were doing some cleaning as requested by Seteth for the ceremony. I let out a sigh, I didn't want this job, ruling the new Fódlan, but someone had to, and Rhea had picked me specifically. That made it a little easier to bear, but it was going to be difficult, ruling this new land, and I had no experience leading anyone—except for my students.

I walked through the hall, watching my students as they worked together to help make the monastery look amazing. It was always kept in good shape, but Seteth requested that we all chip in a bit to help make it look nice—everyone except me, I had to meet with him to discuss the ceremony and how things were going to run around here for the near future. I headed up to the audience chamber, trying to focus on the task at hand.

Nearly three hours later, Seteth and I had covered every possible topic for the coronation ceremony, from what I was wearing to what I would be expected to say, and I was exhausted. So many people expected so much from me, and I was afraid that I was going to let them all down. Claude told me that I could do it, so I tried repeating that to myself. If he said I could, I would try my hardest to do it.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I recall hearing Seteth telling the students how they would have to refer to me from now on and how it would look if they didn't. "I don't want to change how they speak to me, Seteth. I'd prefer if everyone called me by my name, actually, but they've been calling me Professor for almost seven years now. That's going to be a hard change." He wasn't happy, but he agreed that he wouldn't be upset with the students for addressing me in that manner.

I headed to bed that evening earlier than usual, as it was going to be a long day tomorrow. I changed into my nightclothes, and as I finished I heard a knock at the door. Suppressing a sigh, I pulled my robe on and opened the door. Hilda was standing there, a bag in her hands, and I felt a sense of dread. "Yes, Hilda? What do you need?" I asked, eyeing the bag with apprehension.

"Oh, Professor, you're not gonna spoil my fun, are you? You know how much I love to do makeup and hair, and I was hoping you'd let me do yours tomorrow morning." Her eyes were so bright and her smile so sincere I couldn't say no.

"I suppose it can't hurt, but why are you here now? It's getting late." I had never been one to care about my appearance, which tends to happen when you live as a mercenary for a good portion of your life.

"I wanted to leave my bag here tonight to save time tomorrow, and I wanted to re-braid your hair. If you sleep with it braided, it'll be really wavy and gorgeous tomorrow." I opened the door and let her in, and she went straight to my desk, set her bag down, and grabbed a brush and some hairbands. She pulled my desk chair out. I sat down in the chair and she started gently brushing my hair, parting it this way and that to get it just how she wanted it.

"Professor…would it be okay if I looked at your ring?" I looked at her over my shoulder, surprised, but pulled it off my finger and handed it to her. I hadn't looked over it in detail, and it was gorgeous. I wondered where Claude had gotten it. It was beautiful white gold, with two tiny bands of diamonds intertwined along the sides of the ring, and a big sapphire in the center. I heard Hilda's squeal of approval as she looked over it, handing it back after a couple of minutes and resuming her work on my hair. "Beautiful. He chose well."

"Yes, it's a nice ring. I couldn't have chosen better myself," I said quietly, sliding it back onto my finger. I idly wondered if it was always going to hurt this much to talk about him while he was gone.

"I was talking about _you_, Professor. I saw the way he looked at you when you first arrived, and the two of you became friends quickly. By the time we left Remire, most of us, if not all of us, knew there was something between you two. Claude became overly protective and defensive of you, and he always made excuses to meet up with you," said Hilda as she brushed and twisted my hair into a braid.

"You should've seen him on the day you disappeared. I'd never seen Claude so upset. He tried to get down to the canyon to find you, but Raphael stopped him before he ended up falling himself. By the time that we had found the one safe spot left after the Imperial army's destruction, it was clear he'd been crying. He promised then and there that he'd find you, no matter what it took. I don't think he ever stopped trying to get information. We were all forced to separate, but as we left he reminded us of the promise we'd made to meet at the millennium festival, even though it was clear it wasn't going to happen." Hilda paused for a moment as she secured the braid on top of my head, pulling back some loose hairs and smoothing them down.

"There! All done. Anyway," she continued, putting her stuff back into her bag and pushing it back on the desk, "It was clear to all of us that he loved you then, whether or not he admitted it." I stood up from the chair and looked at what she'd done, giving her a smile.

"It's beautiful. And Marianne told me basically the same thing earlier…but without as many details," I replied with a chuckle. "I tried to hide my feelings for him. As a professor, it's not considered normal to have a relationship with your student, even though we're about the same age. I probably knew then, too, but we couldn't do anything about it. I was waiting until graduation, because after that you guys technically weren't my students."

"Then the Imperial army attacked, and I fell down that canyon. That's the last thing I remember—falling. I don't even remember hitting the ground or anything. Then I woke up in that village, learned what had happened, and headed up to the monastery. That's where I found Claude—he had arrived for our reunion, although no one else had made it yet. That's where everything came together."

I walked over to the window, looking out at the darkened grounds. The sun was almost through setting, and it reminded me of the previous night. "Claude and I talked that night, after the rest of you had gone to bed. I explained what happened and that I remembered nothing of being asleep, or whatever you want to call it. He told me about everything that happened to him and the rest of you, since all of you had kept in touch. We talked a little about our relationship then and decided that we couldn't do anything until Edelgard had been defeated and we were able to reunite the nation. And that's what we're doing now," I finished, sitting down on the edge of the bed and looking over at Hilda, who had seated herself in my vacated desk chair.

When I caught her eye, I noticed her grinning at me, her eyes sparkling. "That's so sweet! It's not fair that you two have to separate just when you can finally be together. I hope he comes back soon."

I sighed. "Yeah, I've been thinking that myself. He said we'll only be apart for a short while, but who knows how long that really is? I know he's going to Almyra to deal with things there, and I have the coronation tomorrow, but I don't want this, even though Lady Rhea chose me." I put my head in my hands, careful not to mess up Hilda's work. "I suppose all of us have to do stuff that we don't want to do."

Hilda put her hand on my shoulder, and I looked up. She smiled and nodded. "We do. But for now, you need to do this. The more you get through, the closer you are to Claude. And I know he'll write. Good night, Professor," she said, giving me a little wave as she left. I crossed to the door and locked it after she left, then removed my robe and climbed under the blanket, Claude's smiling face in my mind as I fell asleep.


	3. Your New Queen

The sunrise woke me the next morning as it streamed in the window, I'd forgotten to draw the shade. With a pit of dread in my stomach, I rose from the bed and went to find the clothes I would be wearing. Apparently Lady Rhea had procured this dress just for me, once she'd decided I would be her successor. I pulled it from the closet and dressed carefully, then pulled on the boots she had given me as well. I'd just closed the final clasp on the neck of the dress when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find Hilda waiting excitedly for me.

I sat down at my desk as she grabbed her bag. They all managed to obtain formal outfits for this occasion, and Hilda's was beautiful. "You look amazing, Hilda. I can't wait to see everyone else's outfits for today," I said as she began unraveling my braid.

"Trust me, no one will be looking at us with you wearing that gorgeous dress, especially when I get done with your hair and makeup. But thank you, Professor." Hilda went to work on my hair and face, gently pulling my hair where she wanted it to go and then putting makeup on my face. When she was done, I stood up and looked in the mirror. I gasped at my reflection. I had never looked like this before, and I knew I wouldn't again—the amount of effort put into this wasn't worth my time.

"Wow. Thank you, Hilda." She smiled sweetly and waved as she left the room. Seteth was waiting for me outside when Hilda had left.

"Lady Cordelia, we're ready. Everything is in place," he said, beckoning for me to lead the way. We walked in silence through the halls of the monastery until we reached the door leading out to the courtyard. They chose this location due to the staircase, making sure that everyone would be able to see. I immediately felt nervous, anxiety blooming in the pit of my stomach. I reminded myself that Claude was likely going through something similar, and my students would be here to help me through. I took a deep breath before stepping out into the sunlight at the top of the stairs.

I blocked out the rest of the ceremony, only really paying attention to my speech about what we were working for, and then the actual crowning. This was not something I wanted, but it was something that I was going to accept and do my very best to succeed. By the time the ceremony was over, sweat had broken out on my forehead and my stomach was rumbling. I had skipped breakfast in my nervous state, and was starving now.

Finally, a bell tolled, signaling the end of the ceremony, and as the people began to leave, my little group of students and advisors waited for me to lead the way. I headed straight to the dining hall where I knew the cooks had been preparing a feast not only for us, but for the rest of the people who had attended the ceremony. I took a seat at a table in the corner, desiring to be alone for a short while. Of course, that wasn't going to happen.

I had just taken a bite of food when someone sat down across from me. I didn't have to look up to know it was Seteth. I swallowed quickly and looked up to see him giving me an odd look. "Yes?"

"My apologies, Lady Cordelia. I do not wish to interrupt your meal. I was told to give this to you after the ceremony, while you were alone. Your fiancé entrusted it to me before he left this morning." Seteth handed me a scroll, sealed with Claude's Golden Deer wax seal, then gave me a rare smile before returning to his table. I debated whether or not to read it at the table or to wait until I retired to my quarters, and after a moment decided on the latter. In the event that I felt the need to cry, I wished to be alone and not in a dining hall full of people.

I finished my meal quickly after that, wishing to read the letter. As he spent the night before leaving with me, and had no alone time that morning, my guess was that he had written the letter when he realized he had to go back to Almyra. I headed back to my quarters, the scroll held tightly in my left hand, and quickly shut and locked the door behind me. I had no desire to be interrupted. I sat down on the bed and broke the seal carefully with trembling hands, then unfurled the scroll to read Claude's letter:

_My love,_

_If you're reading this, then Seteth has done as I asked and made sure you were alone after your ceremony. I am truly sorry that I was not able to be there, but in order for us to create a new Fódlan, we have to start immediately. My timing could have been better for my proposal, I admit, given that I left two days afterward. But I wanted you to know that I love you and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that you'll be a great ruler, even though you don't want the job. I don't want to do what I have to do in Almyra, but we both have to fulfill these obligations in order to create the world we envisioned. _

_On the same note, we can't be together forever until we've successfully created this new world, which means our engagement will be a long one. I will make as many trips there as I can, and I have already told my advisors in Almyra that I will be returning to the monastery six weeks after my arrival for a progress meeting. I'll be able to stay for a week before returning. I have faith that by the time I arrive, you will have no doubt ensnared the hearts of the people and will be a beloved ruler._

_We both share the same goal for Fódlan and the lands beyond, and I can't wait until we are reunited for good and can see the world we've created together. _

_Take care of yourself my love. I can't wait to see you again._

_Claude_

I wiped a tear from my eye as I rolled the letter back up, setting it on the bedside table. Six weeks from now would put him here around the 24th of next month. I couldn't wait for the day to arrive, and his letter gave me hope and faith that I could do what needed to be done to unite Fódlan. He'd written the letter sometime between our talk at the Goddess Tower and before he left yesterday morning. I knew then how much he cared for me—he took the time to write this, knowing I would need the strength to continue.

I glanced out my window. It was completely dark, and I needed to sleep, but I had to write a reply, even if it was short. I told him about the ceremony, and how Hilda had taken the time to fix my hair and makeup, and that I too looked forward to his return so that we could celebrate the creation of a united Fódlan.

It was disheartening having to remove the makeup or brush out the hairstyle that Hilda worked so hard on, but my hair would be destroyed as I slept and I didn't want to sleep in makeup. I changed into my nightclothes, washed my face, and brushed my hair. Even with her elegant styling gone, my hair was still holding the waves from sleeping in a braid. I gave my reflection a smile before getting into bed—I could see dark circles under my eyes forming from not sleeping well as of late. I pulled the blankets up to my chin, curled up on my side, and fell asleep with his letter under my pillow.


	4. Survivors

I woke the next morning to a loud pounding on my door. Disoriented, I threw my robe on haphazardly before pulling open the door. Seteth was there, looking troubled. "What's going on?"

"My lady, some of the Knights of Seiros have...rescued? Captured? Either way, they found a small group of former Black Eagles students, wounded. Manuela is tending to them as we speak, as well as Lysithea and Marianne. I have asked them to be kept under watch in the infirmary-"

"Under watch? If they were injured, they wouldn't attack. I'm not going to make assumptions just because they were former students under Edelgard... and neither should you."

Seteth's face reddened. "I understand your concern for their well-being, Lady Cordelia, but you have to realize that your position has changed. As the queen of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, you are no longer just a professor or a friend to them. You are their ruler, and if there was even the slightest possibility of harm coming to you, we have to investigate that. In addition, we are not certain of their motives."

I blushed. "I hadn't considered that. I appreciate your concern. It is possible that they were not part of the Imperial army. Do we know who it is? That may help narrow down the possibilities."

Seteth paused. "I did not see the students, so I am not sure. I will find out and let you know. I wish to speak with them first, and then I will send them into the audience chamber. The knight mentioned there were only four of them, and he wasn't sure if he had the right house, so it's possible they were from the Blue Lions as well. We both know all of the Golden Deer were accounted for."

I nodded. "I will make myself presentable and wait for your arrival in the chamber."

"Yes, my lady. Do remember-even if they are former students, we have to consider the possibility that they were part of the Imperial army. Be thinking of a potential course of action. People do not want to see or hear of an indecisive ruler." Seteth gave me a piercing look and a nod before turning and heading back down the hallway.

I shut the door and grabbed an outfit from the closet, dressing quickly. I was eager to see which students had been found and survived...and which ones the church thought could potentially kill me. I sighed, pulled my brush through my hair, and slid on my boots before heading to the audience chamber.

I walked into an empty chamber, barely noticing that there was a knight who was following me at a distance. I took my seat behind the table and looked out at the room. The only sound was that of the birds outside. No one spoke and all I could do was wait for Seteth to bring the students back. I sat there listening to the birds sing as I contemplated my future. Would this be it? Always waiting for someone to check everything out before I would be allowed to do anything?

The door opened abruptly, interrupting my thoughts, and it was Seteth-alone-although I could hear mumbling from outside the door. He walked up to the table. "Lady Cordelia, the students are okay. Mostly tired with a few cuts and bruises and Linhardt has a broken arm. Bernadetta hasn't spoken except to tell Manuela her injuries, which were minor. Sylvain and Dorothea are both dehydrated and suffering from exhaustion. The only student who we were concerned with is Linhardt. I get the idea that he seemed to have joined Edelgard's cause without much persuasion."

I let out a disgruntled sigh. "I am glad the students are alright. I will want to speak with Bernadetta privately-I know that she is a very shy person and always has been. For now, just show them in. Linhardt may have joined Edelgard simply for convenience-he was always lackluster in performance simply because he preferred to sleep. I do not wish for them to be treated as prisoners for now-we'll keep an eye on them." I knew this was going to be difficult. Bernadetta and I had always gotten along, and I felt as if I knew her well. Linhardt was just...always napping. Sylvain and Dorothea had spent quite a bit of time with me and the Golden Deer, as they had switched to my class halfway through the year.

Seteth went to the door while I was speaking and opened it for the students. They did look a bit worse for wear-particularly Sylvain. He always pushed himself hard, and it seemed as though he may have gone too far. Dorothea just seemed tired, and Bernadetta looked tired and anxious. Linhardt seemed bored with the proceedings, his left arm in a sling.

"My lady, the students as requested," murmured Seteth, shutting the door and standing behind them. All of them had shocked looks on their faces-apparently they didn't know I survived. I smiled warmly down at them.

"I'm so glad to see you all in decent health," I said, standing up at the table. "Judging by the looks on your faces, you did not expect to see me again. I welcome you back to the monastery, and you have rooms in the dormitory waiting. I want you to get a good night's sleep tonight and I will speak with each of you individually regarding our further steps."

Everyone but Linhardt seemed satisfied with what I said, and the three of them were escorted off to the dorms, talking amongst themselves. I came out from behind the table and stood in front of it, looking down at Linhardt. He was glaring at me. While we had never spent much time together, I never got the feeling he disliked me. He gave a grunt of disgust and looked up at me. "So, we either stay in the dormitories or leave? Some choice," he said, adjusting the sling around his neck. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Your choice tonight is between a dormitory with a soft, warm bed and privacy, or a prison cell with a cot and cellmates. I will not go easy on you just because you are a former student. I was there at the battle where you fought for Edelgard. The fact that you are injured and are a former student is why you are standing here speaking to me, rather than through iron bars. We must determine where your loyalties lie."

Linhardt's face paled. He obviously had not expected such a decision from me. "Where my loyalties lie? I thought you and Claude's whole schtick was to unite Fódlan so that there wouldn't be an issue with this anymore."

My heart twisted at the mention of Claude's name, and I wondered if that was going to happen every time. "That is our goal. My coronation was the first step, and Claude's work in Almyra is the next. I would prefer you to stay in the dormitories, as they are much more comfortable, and you are not a criminal...at least, not of the sort that are currently in the prison. Disagreeing with me is one thing. Actively working against my rule or working to remove me from ruling will land you a cell. The last time I saw you, you were attempting to stop us from defeating Edelgard, who brought war to Fódlan. We ended the war to bring peace to the continent. Discord will not be tolerated." I looked at Linhardt sternly. "I do not want to have to make that decision."

After I spoke, it was clear to me by the look on Linhardt's face that he was simply following Edelgard as leader of the Black Eagles for convenience. "Well of course I'm not going to disturb the peace, we had nearly six years of war and it's finally over," he said, his tongue tripping over the words as he rushed to get them out. "I just didn't realize…" he let his sentence trail off as we locked eyes. I knew what he was going to say.

With a wave of my hand I dismissed his words. "I understand. Let this serve as a warning, then. I would like to know...did you see any other former Garreg Mach students, or was it just the four of you?"

"It was just us. To my knowledge, anyone who escaped the battles and the Imperial army left to live their own lives, hopefully out of the reach of the Adrestrian Empire. I was actually surprised to see Bernadetta. I heard Edelgard was attempting to have her eliminated. I don't know how she survived."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I allowed myself a chuckle. "Even I know how Bernadetta was when it came to speaking with people, and it was rare to find her out of her dorm. If she found a safe place, she probably didn't leave it until very recently." I gave Linhardt a smile. "I take it, then, you have no objections to staying in the dormitory?" When he shook his head, I motioned to Seteth. "The knight will take you there. Please, all of you, get a good night's sleep. I do wish to speak with each of you tomorrow. Seteth will let you know when."

Linhardt turned to leave. "Yes, Professor ...er, my lady," he stammered, seeing the look that Seteth gave him as he walked back to meet the knight.

I glanced curiously at Seteth. "I can understand your house calling you professor, but the rest of them should follow protocol." He paused for a moment. "When you look at me like that, it reminds me of Claude. He always inclined his head like that when he was curious," he commented with a smile.

Again, there was that twist of pain. Like someone was trying to wring my heart out as you would a wet cloth. "Ah...I did not realize I had picked that up from him," I said, blushing slightly. "Would you please draft a schedule for tomorrow that has each of them meeting with me for an hour? Also, I am okay with them addressing me as 'professor'. If they choose to address me formally that is their choice."

Seteth nodded. "As you wish, Lady Cordelia." He turned to leave, then turned back to me. "I would recommend that you reach out to Almyra, Brigid, and the other nations to get information on what they need and how we can help." With a nod, I headed back to my room, but halfway there, I decided to head to the dormitories. I wanted to check on the students. They had all been placed in their old rooms. I decided to start with Linhardt.

I knocked on the door softly, not wanting to disturb him. I heard the lock click and the door opened. He looked surprised. "Pro-I mean, my lady," he said, inclining his head in my direction. I gave him a warm smile and shook my head.  
"You may still call me Professor. Old habits, I understand. I prefer it this way myself. I just wanted to see if you needed anything, or if you were settling in okay."

Linhardt shrugged and adjusted the sling again. "It's just been awhile since I've been here, and while some things feel the same, it's definitely different. There's no houses to speak of anymore. The reconstruction has done wonders to the monastery. It's just.. different."

I nodded. "It is. We don't have classes anymore, really. We usually meet once or twice a day and train. Everyone is trying to help rebuild Fódlan and get back to some semblance of normalcy. I don't think I'll ever know a normal again," I admitted with a laugh. "Being queen is not something I've ever wanted to do. I still don't want it. But Lady Rhea selected me as her successor, and people need someone to look to in times like this. At least the fighting has stopped.  
Linhardt leaned up against the doorframe. "I get that. I have to say that if anyone can unite the continent, it's you. And Claude. I heard he'd left for Almyra."

"Yes. He left just before my coronation, actually. He told me he'd be back in six weeks though," I replied quietly, staring off into the distance. "Hopefully both Fódlan and Almyra will have made significant strides toward unification in that time." I cleared my throat and looked back at Linhardt, finding him smirking at me. "You have something else to say?"

He snorted. "Unification is a good thing, but you're wearing your emotions on your face. You should learn to control that if you wish to be a good ruler." He shook his head. "I have no idea what's going on between you and Claude, but it's obvious you miss him. You just need to show the people a strong front," he said, looking at my left hand, which I'd just brushed my hair aside with. "Ah. Congratulations, my lady," he said with a smile.

I glanced down at my hand and returned Linhardt's smile. "Thank you. I will take your advice, as well. I did not realize that my face was that expressive. I shall leave you to rest, but I'll talk more with you tomorrow." The sun was beginning to set. "Good night." I wanted to speak with the others, but my conversation with Linhardt had taken longer than anticipated. I would just have to wait until we met the next day.

I headed back to my quarters alone, realizing after that conversation I did need to learn not to express every emotion I felt. I hadn't realized that it was so easy to tell what I was feeling, and then I felt guilty. If my face truly showed my emotions, then Claude knew every bit of how I felt during our conversations and that night we spent together. I shut and locked the door behind me, changed clothes, and got into bed left alone with my thoughts. I can't be so open with my emotions if I am going to be a good leader but I also don't want to be like past rulers. I need to break the cycle.


	5. Duty Calls

I slept peacefully that night, waking on my own schedule. I dressed and headed to the advisory chamber-it was where Lady Rhea and Seteth had so many meetings, and where I would now start having my own. Seteth was already there, and so was Sylvain. I gave them both a smile, and Seteth left quietly. He knew I wanted to speak with the students alone. "It's good to see you again, Sylvain," I said, sitting down across from him. Up close, he looked worse than he had before. There were cuts and scratches everywhere, and he looked like he was going to fall over any second.

He smiled back at me. "I know it's not the same as it was years ago, but I'm glad to see you too, Professor...or should I say my lady?" He gave me a smirk and laughed when I shook my head. "Professor is going to be a hard habit to break, but I can try."

"There's no need. I don't mind being called Professor. All of you have called me that for years, even while I wasn't around. I'm just glad you guys are okay."

"Well, I wouldn't say okay. But it could've been worse. A few Imperial army soldiers found us as we were trying to get back up here-this was as they were retreating-and attacked us, even though Linhardt was with us. I don't think they cared at that point. Dorothea and Bernie are both okay as far as injuries go, but Bernie is terrified. She did what she could to help when we were ambushed. Dorothea is exhausted, like me. She was using so many spells that she wore herself out. Linhardt's arm was broken, so I had to fight them back enough so we could escape."

I sighed. "I am sorry you guys had to endure that, and all while you were trying to get to safety. Linhardt is okay; I spoke with him last night. His arm will heal as well, I'm sure. You look like you're about to pass out, though. Did you sleep alright?"

"I slept well for the first time in weeks. War takes a toll on people. I feel fine mentally, and my body is tired but recuperating. I know after another week or so here both Dorothea and I should be fine. Exhaustion is hard to cure, you know?" said Sylvain, stifling a yawn.

"I should say it is. Make sure you take it easy for a while. Don't worry about anything here. I had that happen once as a mercenary, I refused to rest. I passed out, and Jeralt had to do most of the work. I got yelled at for half an hour for that. Make sure you're getting sleep. I remember how you used to wander the monastery at night. Come see me if you need anything," I said, giving him a smile.

Sylvain got to his feet and nodded. "Gotta say, it's good being back here. Good having you back too, Professor. And I won't do any more wandering...for now," he replied with a grin, waving as he left the chamber. I rolled my eyes. It didn't seem as though he'd lost any of his mischievousness. Dorothea walked in right after, and she looked tired, but not to the extent that Sylvain had.

"Professor! I'm so glad to see you. I've been worried about you for the longest time!" I gave her a smile and motioned her to sit, which she did. I took my seat across from her. "I told Bernie that you were okay! We weren't able to get here for the ceremony since we were ambushed. We heard on our way here that you were being crowned queen, but just couldn't make it in time."

"It's okay, Dorothea. I'm just glad that you guys are okay. I hadn't seen any of the other students until you guys were found. All of the Golden Deer are here, of course-we'd planned to unite for the millennium festival-but I haven't heard anything from anyone else. I know we lost some during the war...some that sided with the Empire...and I regret it. She had to be stopped, though." I ran a hand through my hair. I was frustrated that we had to defeat former students and friends to win.

"I understand. The war was long, and it was hard on everyone. Bernie is still scared, of course. We were ambushed, and it was so terrible." She shuddered. "If it weren't for Sylvain, we would have been severely injured or worse."

"According to Sylvain, you were a big help with your magic."

"Well...that may be true. But he did most of the physical work. I'm just glad we were able to escape and get here to the monastery." She looked around the room, sighed, and gave me a smile. "Being queen suits you. I know you didn't want it, but it's a good look on you."

I laughed. "Well, thank you. Linhardt says I need to control my facial expressions, though," I admitted with a shrug. It was probably true.

"Yes, I suppose he has a point. I've always been able to tell what people are feeling, but you make it truly easy." Dorothea yawned widely, stretching as she did so. "My apologies, Professor, but I am still so tired."

"Forgive me for taking you from your rest. I just wanted to check in with each of you and make sure you were settling in okay. Get some sleep and eat well. I'll see you later," I said, giving her a smile as I opened the door for her.

Dorothea left with a smile. "Thank you, Professor. I think a nap is in order...after lunch, of course," she said, leaving the chamber.

I sat back down in my chair and waited for Bernadetta to come in. After a few minutes, the door opened-but it was Seteth. "Yes?"

"My apologies, Lady Cordelia, but Bernadetta simply does not wish to leave her room. I rather think she might have gone back to sleep. I tried for fifteen minutes to get her to leave, and when I came back to try again there was no answer. I didn't think it wise to force entry."

I nodded and stood up. "Forcing entry would only make things worse if she's asleep. I'll go check on her."

"As you wish, my lady. I would like to remind you that we do have an afternoon meeting with the knights to ascertain our next steps. I shall see you then."

"Thank you, Seteth. I will see you then." I left the chamber and headed to the dining hall. Raphael was there, of course, as was Lysithea. "Enjoying lunch?" I asked, stopping by the table where they were seated.

Raphael laughed. "I never miss a meal, Professor! Lysithea really knows how to cook, and she's good with desserts."

Lysithea beamed. "Sweets are my favorite. And I didn't cook these, Raphael, but I did give the cooks the recipe. Why don't you join us, Professor?"

"I wish I could, Lysithea, but I'm actually just grabbing a meal to go. I'm heading to see Bernadetta, as she didn't come to meet me earlier. I'm hoping she'll let me talk to her." I spoke to the cook, who quickly packed up two meals for me.

"Oh, yes, I had heard that she was found, along with a few others. I'm glad they weren't hurt. If you need anything, Professor, let me know!"

I took the packed lunches and headed for the door. "I will, Lysithea. For now, just keep Raphael fed," I joked, a smile on my face as I heard him laughing loudly. I headed down to the dormitory and to Bernadetta's room. I could hear movement as I approached, so I knew she was awake. I gave a gentle knock on the door. "Bernadetta? It's me."

The movement ceased, and I heard the doorknob turn. It opened a crack, and I could see her anxious face looking out at me. "Prof… I mean my lady," she quivered. "Bernie, may I come in? I brought lunch." She pulled the door back enough for me to slide in and closed it behind me. Being out there really took a toll on her. "I'm sorry for not meeting with you. I have been a nervous wreck since the war began, I don't know how you do it," she said before taking a bite of her lunch.

I smiled. "I'm not sure either honestly, I don't particularly want this job. But it's something I have to do. And knowing that Lady Rhea chose me specifically and believed in me helps."

"I think you'll do a wonderful job. Someone like you is just who we need to rule the United Kingdom of Fódlan," she said in between mouthfuls. Bernie managed to finish her meal within a short time, and I finished up mine.

"Thank you, Bernadetta. I am glad you enjoyed your lunch. I hope you know that even though I am your queen now you can still talk to me." She looked up at me and gave me a soft smile. "Thank you but I would feel awful to burden you with my problems. You have an entire kingdom to rule." I gave her a stern yet endearing look and she knew that I meant what I said. "You should get some rest." I got up and walked to the door, she followed behind me closely and before closing it she whispered "thank you."

I was glad that things had gone well with my students and that they were recovering well. They needed more sleep, but we all did after the war. I headed back up to the audience chamber to wait for the meeting. It was still a couple of hours off, but I knew Seteth would have some things to talk about.

When the meeting finally ended, around sundown, I was exhausted. There was so much still to be done, and I didn't know if I was actually up to the task. I headed back to my room, intending to fall straight into bed, but I found a small bag outside the door, with a note from Bernadetta. She thanked me for lunch and had returned the favor for dinner since I was busy. I ate dinner, took a bath, and climbed into bed.


	6. Rebuilding Relations

Those next weeks passed in a blur of meetings. We started restoring Airmid, Magdred, and Remire. We were having difficulty reaching Bergliez and some of the other southern villages due to lack of supplies and knights. We were spread thin. It didn't help that a large part of the former Adrestrian Empire was wartorn and ravaged by thieves, as it was just outside the reaches of our knights. They were on the way, but it would take a couple more weeks to rid the area of bandits.

Seteth and I were both exhausted. The students were doing their best and running most of the day-to-day operations at the monastery while we had meeting after meeting to get the kingdom running smoothly. It could've been worse.

Even though neither of us had much time to write, Claude and I exchanged two letters during the time he was gone. The letters were the only thing that kept me going during these trying times. In each letter he made sure I knew how much he believed in me and that he was proud of what I was doing for Fódlan.

The night before Claude was due to return, Seteth and I were arguing with the knights about their orders until around eleven. We still had the logistics of their lodging and food to work out while they were out helping rebuild Fódlan. I didn't get into bed until around two that morning and slept terribly due to the thunderstorms that raged throughout the night.


	7. New Beginnings

I woke on the 24th to a frantic Seteth.

"I just got word that the king of Almyra will be arriving at midday," Seteth said breathlessly. I jumped to my feet and started dressing quickly. "Why am I just hearing of this? Do we know who the new king is?" Claude hadn't mentioned their new king in his letters. Oh no, Claude! I stopped for a second remembering he would be here around the same time.

"We have not been told the name of the new king, only that he and his advisors would be here in a couple of hours. I am having the audience chamber prepared for meetings. I'd like to see you in half an hour so we can prepare."

I got dressed quickly and headed up to the audience chamber. I hope my advisors have more answers for me. From what I experienced during my time here, receiving no advance notice wasn't common. Rulers always sent notice of their visits weeks in advance so why has this new king decided to visit today? Between this and expecting Claude to arrive today, I was a nervous wreck.

I walked into the chamber where everyone was waiting for me and took my seat. My stomach was a complete bundle of anxiety. I swallowed the lump I felt rising in my throat. "Tell me, do we have any information on this new king?" I looked around and caught Seteth's eyes. He shook his head "No, my lady. But we do know that it will be him and six of his advisors. I already have the cooks working on a feast and the students are helping decorate the great hall."

"They'll do a great job decorating. I could smell the feast they were preparing as I was on my way in. I'm looking forward to lunch." I looked towards Lysithea and nodded "Go join your crew and make sure everything is perfect." She stood up, curtsied, and went on her way.

As Lysithea left, Catherine entered. She had been gone with some of the knights, ensuring that supplies were making their way to our convoys across the nation. She was a couple of weeks behind schedule, but I was glad to see her back. "Catherine! I'm glad to see you've made it back. We were beginning to worry."

"My lady. I apologize for my lack of communication. We ran into a couple groups of bandits that attempted to make off with our supplies. Dealing with that set us back about a week, and then some storms delayed us further." Catherine looked a bit tired, but otherwise unharmed.

"It's alright. Communication while on a mission can be difficult. I don't know if you're aware, but the newly-crowned king of Almyra and six of his advisors will be arriving today. Please ensure that the Knights of Seiros are at their best for the arrival. I know that most of your forces are out for reconstruction, but we need to make the best of what we have." I felt bad springing this on her just as she is getting home but we have all been stretched thin lately and it comes with the territory. Taking Linhardt's advice I kept my emotions at bay while I delegated the rest of the chores to be done. Now it's time to prepare myself.

As I walked back to my chambers the lump in my throat returned and I felt nauseous. I picked up my pace and once I reached my door I stumbled in and locked it behind me. I look at the clock and notice the time. I only have two hours before the king's arrival.

I stagger over to my mirror and notice the bags under my eyes, I look terrible and definitely not presentable for a king. "I've got to get more sleep," I muttered, grabbing a washcloth and washing my face. I knew I didn't get much sleep the night before, but the lack of sleep over the past few weeks had really taken a toll on me. I was paler than usual, and there was nothing to be done about those bags. I run a brush through my hair before pulling it into a low bun, twisting and tucking all of my stray hairs.

I walk over to my wardrobe and go through my clothes… what do I wear? I look through them several times before settling on something. I slide it on and walk over to the mirror again. I run my hands down my robes to smooth them out before exhaling loudly and letting out a few tears. Why am I crying? I collapse onto my knees and sit there for a few minutes just sobbing. It all just hit me. I have been keeping such a brave face but the past few weeks have been exhausting. I was looking forward to seeing Claude and spending time with him. Now I have to host a new king and his men. When will I have the time?

It just wasn't fair. Claude said he'd be here for a week, but how long would the new king stay? I was sure that our nights would be spent together, but it wasn't enough. I needed time with him during the day. Six weeks apart, and it was looking doubtful that we'd be able to spend much time together. It was depressing.

I check the time again. I've already taken thirty minutes. I need to get going. I wash my face with cold water and try to get rid of the evidence I had been crying. The bags definitely defer from it. I slip into my boots and take one last look in the mirror. "That's as good as it gets," I whisper to myself as I turn around and walk out of my chambers.

Alright-back to business. First, I walk to the great hall. It's coming along nicely, looks like they are almost done. I run into Bernadetta, "Hi, Professor! You look lovely." "Thank you, so does the hall. I see you have all been hard at work. I hope you have been doing well since the last time we spoke." I give her a sweet smile. "Yes, Professor. Thank you for asking." She smiles back and resumes hanging banners. "It was so nice to see you. I hope today goes well for you," she says over her shoulder. I leave the hall and walk towards the kitchen. The feast smells so good; it reminds me that I haven't eaten much today. Everything seems to be running smoothly; now I needed to find Seteth.

I was walking back to the audience chamber when he approached me. "Lady Cordelia. Catherine has gathered the knights and is awaiting your approval. They're waiting just outside the entrance hall." With a nod, I turned to follow him out to the hall. I was approached by Catherine as we came through the doorway.

"My lady. We are ready for the arrival of the new king. Is the presentation suitable?" I looked over the knights. Their armor had been scrubbed clean. I couldn't recall ever seeing the armor so shiny. They lined both sides of the hall, Catherine at the front to lead the Almyra delegation into the monastery. I gave an approving nod.

"They look great, as do you. It will be a nice welcome. We have roughly an hour before their arrival. I shall see you once they have arrived." Catherine did a great job of getting the knights cleaned up and taking care of the entrance hall. The students would put up a couple of banners in the hall momentarily.

The next hour flew by as Seteth and I checked each part of the monastery to make sure it was prepared for the king's arrival. The aroma of the feast was spreading throughout the halls, making me hungrier than ever. I regretted eating so little today. We walked back to the audience chamber and sat down behind the table. My nerves were resurfacing now, but I forced myself to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach.

I kept tapping my foot nervously against the floor, drumming my fingers on the table. The anxiety was rising as I waited for the king to arrive...and also my fiance. Our reunion was marred by the new king's arrival. Instead of spending quality time with Claude, I would instead be meeting with the new king and his advisors multiple times over the next week. Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, we could hear footsteps coming down the hall. Catherine opened the doors of the chamber and bowed.

"Lady Cordelia, I present the new King of Almyra and his advisors," she said, her voice ringing through the chamber. I gave her a nod, and she stepped aside to allow the Almyrans to enter. The six advisors entered first and stood to the side to make room for their king. I gave them all a warm smile, and looked up to the doorway as he entered.


	8. The New King

I felt all the color leave my face. My heart started racing. An audible gasp escaped my lips as I locked eyes with the King of Almyra. I would recognize those green eyes anywhere. "Lady Cordelia. I hope you are well?" I heard the smirk before I saw it, as I couldn't tear my eyes away from his. The voice, the eyes, the hair. All of it belonged to Claude. Trying to find my voice, I cleared my throat.

"I am well, thank you," I replied hoarsely. I had so many things to say, but none that I could articulate. I felt dizzy and nauseous, and I wondered for a moment if I might faint in front of everyone. I wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and never leave, but that wasn't an option. "Please take a seat, everyone. We have much to discuss, and then we'll break for lunch. The cooks have prepared a feast in the great hall for us."

The next hour seemed to drag on as we spoke at length about diplomacy and reconstruction of the eastern half of Fódlan. I could see that the Almyran advisors were tired, the rest of us were tired and hungry, and I had so many questions for Claude. I stood up after another fifteen minutes during a lull in conversation. "I think we should leave it there for now. We'll meet again at nine tomorrow morning. Enjoy the feast and get a good night's rest."

The knights, Catherine, and the advisors left. Only Claude, Seteth, and I remained. Seteth came up to my side, narrowing his eyes at Claude. "Claude...well, I suppose it's 'Your Majesty' now. Why did you not tell us of your coronation?"

Claude gave a half-shrug, a move that never failed to annoy Seteth. "I did not know about it myself until I had arrived. That's when I discovered that my uncle and grandfather died, leaving me the only heir to the throne. It didn't occur to me to notify you, as I had so much on my plate, and knew that you did as well. I didn't want to make matters worse. I can see that some notice would have been welcome. I apologize."

Seteth nodded, not quite disguising the annoyance on his face. "I understand your reasoning. I will see you both tomorrow morning. Enjoy the feast," he said, giving me a half-smile as he left the room. I looked over at my fiance, the new king of Almyra, but couldn't say anything. I had pictured our reunion in many different ways, but never like this. Claude cocked his head at me questioningly, but I shook my head. I couldn't say anything. Without a word, he took my hand and we headed down to the great hall.

The students had done a wonderful job of decorating the hall, and the feast was amazing. We all had second helpings of the food and enjoyed dessert as well. There was nothing planned the rest of the day, so I could escape to my quarters. I didn't realize that Claude had followed me until I pushed open my door. Before I could close it, he had slid into the room, locked the door behind him, and pulled me into his arms. "I've missed you so much." His voice was barely above a whisper as he kissed the top of my head.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself closer. Six weeks was too long to be apart. Although I knew his stay was temporary, I still found myself annoyed with him. He'd sent two letters while he was gone and couldn't slip in a single sentence explaining that he was now king? While I appreciated the more personal nature of the letters, this was something that I should've been told.

I pulled back from him and looked down at my feet. He cupped my chin in his hand and lifted my face to look into my eyes, but I wouldn't meet his eyes. His smile fell into a frown, and when he spoke, it was with concern. "What's wrong?"

I took a couple steps back, looking up at him. "Why didn't you tell me? Two letters after you arrived in Almyra, saying how busy you were, and you never mentioned becoming king."

Claude sighed, frustrated. "I didn't want to focus on our positions. I wanted to talk about us."

"You slipping in a sentence or two about being king wouldn't have stopped that. I didn't have the faintest idea that you were being crowned king. Catherine announces the new king and his advisors, I look up at the doorway, and it's you. I almost lost my composure and collapsed in front of everyone. It was embarrassing."

I paused for a moment. I didn't want to start an argument, but he had put me in an unfair situation. "We've never kept secrets before. I don't want to start now. I have to trust that you will tell me what's going on."

Claude looked over at me, surprise etched on his face. "I had no intention of embarrassing you. I only wished to surprise you. I thought...well, clearly I was wrong. I'm sorry, love."

"You do realize that with no advance notice we were forced to scramble to bring some knights back to the monastery, when they should be out helping the reconstruction effort? Not to mention all of the supplies we had to procure on such short notice for this feast." My cheeks were still tinged red, from both embarrassment and my temper.

I didn't want this to turn into a drawn-out argument, nor did I want to waste time on the subject when we only had a week together. But I had to make sure he understood. "The two of us have never had secrets. Our relationship, even before it was romantic, has always been strong, and a great part of that was due to our honesty. We had no secrets. We have to keep that going, or this won't work. I have to be able to trust you and know you'll be honest with me."

I walked over to the bed and sat down, pulling off my boots. I had slept horribly. My head was throbbing. I put my head in my hands. This was not what I had envisioned his visit would be like. A couple tears slid down my cheeks. I was tired, I felt horrible, and now I felt guilty about unleashing on him like this. I felt Claude sit down on the bed next to me, and he took my face in his hands gently.

He locked eyes with me. I saw only concern and love there. "You haven't been sleeping well," he murmured, his thumb tracing the bags beneath my right eye as he wiped away a tear, "and you look ill. Are you feeling alright?" I shook my head. I forced myself to stop crying, as it would only make my headache worse. "Let me take care of you."

Before I could respond, Claude reached over and removed my cloak, as well as the dress I was wearing. He got to his feet and pulled the shade over the window, then brought me a glass of water and a wet cloth. He wiped my eyes gently, then went over my entire face before folding it and placing it on my forehead.

I felt the tension leave my body and let out a relaxed sigh. Even with the headache I felt better, although I still felt guilty about how I treated him. "I'm sor-"

"Shh. We'll talk later. Let's just lay down and relax. It wouldn't hurt you to take a little nap, even," Claude said quietly, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me with him as he laid down. I didn't want to waste time sleeping when we had so little time together as it as, but I wasn't feeling well, and his warm arms made me so comfortable I drifted off to sleep.


	9. Reunion

[AN: This will be the last chapter in this story, but there will be a part 2! Title will be the same, just part 2.]

I was gently shaken awake by Claude in what felt like minutes, although he said it was a few hours. "You need to wake up, or you won't sleep well tonight," he said, handing me the dress I'd worn that day. "It's also nearly dinner time. Seteth came looking for you, too. He was worried. Said he'd never seen you look like that." I sat up sleepily in bed and shrugged.

"He probably hadn't. I have only fainted once, and that was after the mission we did with my father. Jeralt said I looked like a ghost then." I yawned and stretched before getting up and putting on the dress. The nap had gotten rid of my headache, and I felt refreshed, although I knew I was still somewhat sleep deprived.

"You looked like that today, too, before you blushed. I am sorry about that. I didn't want to embarrass you. I just thought it'd be a nice surprise. I honestly didn't consider that you might be embarrassed, only that you'd be happy to see me." Claude rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed himself.

"I am happy to see you. I just didn't expect you to be king. And I'm sorry I got upset with you. I haven't been sleeping well and with all the reconstruction going on there's so much to oversee. It's exhausting. I must admit I'm worried about the future." I pulled my brush through my hair and walked to the door, pulling it open. "Let's go to dinner."

Claude opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. "You're right. Let's go eat. We can discuss the future later. " He walked up to the open door, took my hand, and we walked down to the dining hall. Claude's advisors had seated themselves at a table in the corner, the students were all seated at different tables, and Seteth was nowhere to be found. We gathered our meals and I led Claude over to a smaller table in the corner where it was quieter.

"You seemed like you had something to say back in my room. What is it?" I asked, beginning to eat.

"You said you were worried about the future. Why are you worried about the future?" he asked, taking a few bites of his dinner as he watched me intently.

I sighed. I was worried about the future but didn't see what we could do about it. "You're king of Almyra, I'm queen of the United Kingdom of Fodlan. How can we possibly have any sort of future together?"

Claude's face looked surprised for half a second before he composed himself. "We're to be married soon. That's our future. Our positions afford us the ability to help change and mold this world into a peaceful one."

"How can the two of us still be married if we rule separate nations?"

"I'm not sure I understand your question. We have a wedding, get married, enjoy the rest of our lives together. Same as anyone else, except that we happen to be royalty. No big deal."

I rolled my eyes at his response. "If we plan to have a traditional marriage and live together, it is a big deal. You can't rule Almyra from here, and I can't rule Fodlan from there. We both know that the people in either location will not take kindly to any sort of unification right now. Fodlan is rebuilding from the war. If we try to force unification too early, it won't work."

He pushed his empty plate away. He didn't answer right away, taking time to collect his thoughts. "You seem to have forgotten the other option. We marry, I return to Almyra and rule while you rule here. Once unification is possible, we unite the nation-and be together."

Claude made the whole thing sound so easy. But a long distance marriage? That was unheard of. I was speechless. I sat there for a couple minutes before clearing my throat. "I don't think a long distance marriage is a good idea. We can wait. We've only been engaged a couple of months."

"Maybe you're right. We can at least set a date then, right?" Claude asked hopefully, giving me a smile. He stood up from the table and held out his hand to me. I looked up at his hopeful face and returned his smile. Taking his hand, I got up from the table. "Let's take a walk." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the knight who'd been protecting me stand up.

I caught his eye and shook my head. The knight looked uncertain but sat back down. If I wasn't safe with Claude, who would I be safe with? We walked throughout the grounds in silence, enjoying the evening as the sun set. He led the way back to my quarters. I turned to look at him after opening the door. "I feel obligated to mention that Catherine prepared rooms for you and your advisors."

I heard his snort of laughter as he followed me into the room, closing the door behind us. "Forgive me, my lady, if I decide to forgo that room and stay with you instead."

"Well I certainly have no objections. We should go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow." I pulled off my dress and changed into my nightclothes, watching as Claude did the same. I pulled the shade off the window and let the muted light from the sunset enter the room. I climbed into bed, facing the window with a smile. Claude climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around me.

"I was thinking about eight months from now, the end of winter...just as it starts getting warm. That way the flowers will be blooming," Claude murmured, kissing my cheek.

"Eight months for what?" I muttered, pulling the sheet over us and settling back into his embrace.

I heard his soft chuckle as he answered my question. "For our wedding, hon," he replied. "That gives us time to work on our reconstruction process and to have everything in place."

I smiled. "That sounds great. I love you." I closed my eyes and laced my fingers with his, falling asleep to dreams of our future.

The rest of the week passed all too quickly, and we were soon at the end of Claude's visit. Progress had been made, but we still had much to accomplish. We had announced our wedding date the day before Claude left-well, at least to those in the monastery. Claude was going to explain everything to the Almyrans when he arrived back in the country, and Seteth had advised me to hold off announcing my marriage until it was only a couple months away in order to foster better relations with the people.

It would be a long eight months until I saw him again, but I knew that we would be together, and our relationship would be stronger. Until then, I had to build trust in my people, rebuild the war-torn areas, and foster unification between lands. I had one ally in the King of Almyra, and I hoped to find more. It was time to make this world the way Claude and I envisioned.


End file.
